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Probiotics must survive in foods and passage through the human mouth, stomach, and small intestine to reach the colon in a viable state and exhibit their beneficial health effects. Probiotic viability can be improved by encapsulating them inside hydrogel-based delivery systems. These systems typically comprise a 3D network of cross-linked polymers that retain large amounts of water within their pores. This study discussed the stability of probiotics and morphology of hydrogel beads after encapsulation, encapsulation efficiency, utilization of natural polymers, and encapsulation mechanisms. Examples of the application of these hydrogel-based delivery systems are then given. These studies show that encapsulation of probiotics in hydrogels can improve their viability, provide favorable conditions in the food matrix, and control their release for efficient colonization in the large intestine. Finally, we highlight areas where future research is required, such as the large-scale production of encapsulated probiotics and the in vivo testing of their efficacy using animal and human studies. • Encapsulation can protect probiotics from noxious environmental conditions • Natural polymer hydrogels are promising systems for delivery of probiotics. • Proteins and polysaccharides are incredibly marvelous polymers to produce of hydrogels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of whey protein isolate (WPI) and pectin as wall materials in encapsulation of Ziziphora clinopodiodes essential oil by ultrasonication method was compared. In this regard, using the response surface methodology, the influence of ultrasonication (US) power (50–150 W) and core-coating ratio (10–100%) on the properties of microcapsules was evaluated. Increasing US power and core-coating ratio, caused to increase and decrease the particle size, respectively. The polydispersity index (PDI) of WPI coated microcapsules was increased by increasing of US power. The Zeta potential values were increased by increasing of core-coating ratio. Also, the effect of core-coating ratio on encapsulation efficiency was more than US power. Morphological studies by SEM on optimized microcapsules showed regular spherical shapes. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the type of the wall material had no effect on the structural properties of the microparticles. FT-IR analysis confirmed the pronounced effect of electrostatic interactions in the formation of microcapsules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural hydrogels such as alginate are hopeful gadgets for cellular encapsulation, drug delivery, and many others because of their properties, such as biodegradable and non-toxic for the environment. Probiotics, as intestinal microbiota, have numerous benefits for the host's health. On the other hand, the survival of probiotics is critical, especially in the food and medicine industry, and probiotics should endure disagreeable status that occurs in passing through the gastrointestinal system. Encapsulation can be applied to protect probiotics but increase their bio-accessibility, so the survival rate of bacteria and their transportation to different body parts. In this review, the literature on delivery systems results focuses on combining alginates with other biopolymers to produce hydrogels that enclose probiotics, only increasing their encapsulation performance and survival compared to alginates in gastrointestinal simulation conditions collected. All the tastes and limitations, along with the benefits of microencapsulation of probiotics using hydrogels, can lead to the emergence of biopolymers, new ways of protecting probiotics, and ultimately producing products that are safe for consumers. [Display omitted] • Microencapsulation can shelter probiotics from noxious environmental. • Natural hydrogels such as alginate are promising systems for delivery of probiotics. • Alginate hydrogels are biologically inert materials applied in medical and food industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]